Bulldozer



J. W. MERZ June 30, 1953 BULLDOZER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 12, 1949I U360 M/lerz memo):

Gttorneg J. W. MERZ BULLDOZER June 30, 1953 Filed Sept. 12, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m wr r m 3 ([050 M/Verz Patented June 30, 1953 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE BULLDOZER John W. Merz, Belton, Mont.

Application September 12, 1949, Serial No. 115,224

7 Claims. (01. 37-144) This invention relates to a bulldozer and it isone object of the invention to provide the bulldozer with a blade whichis mounted at the front of a truck and consists of companion bladeswhich are pivoted at inner ends to a mounting and may be angularlyadjusted relative to each other and also raised or lowered.

Another object of the invention is to provide bulldozer blades which aremoved to angularly adjusted positions by hydraulic members carried by amounting frame so formed and so associated with the blades that as oneblade is swung forwardly the other will be swung rearwardly, thusallowing the two blades to be shifted from a position in which theydiverge rearwardly to a position in which they are in longitudinalalignment transversely of the truck and then to a position in which theyconverge rearwardly towards their pivoted inner ends. It will thus beseen that the blades may be adjusted from a rearwardly divergingposition for scraplng material towards opposite sides of a road to aposition in which they extend in alignment across a road eitherdiagonally or at any other desired angle and then to a position forscraping material towards their pivoted inner ends and filling hollowsin the road.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bulldozer having bladespivoted at their inner ends to a frame which extends across the front ofa truck or tractor and so mounted that either end may be raised orlowered and the frame and the blades disposed transversely of a road ata vertical incline.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bulldozer formed ofparts which are very strong and not liable to become broken whensubjected to rough use.

With these and other objects in view the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing the improved bulldozer mounted acrossthe front of a truck.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the improved bulldozer and the front endportion of a truck to which it is attached.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the frame which carries the blades andthe adjustable mounting means for blades. v

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view upon an enlarged scale takenalong the line 44 of Figure 2.

Fig. 5 is a front view showing a shield attached to one of the bladesfor use when scraping snow v the yokes.

2 from a road and delivering the snow at one side of the road.

This bulldozer has a blade which is indicated in general by the numeral5 and consists of companion sections or blades 2 and 3 which are arcuatevertically, as shown in Figure 1, and at their inner ends carryrearwardly projecting segmental hinge plates 4 and 5. These hinge platesare of duplicate formation and size, the plate 4 being carried by theblade 2 and free from the blade 3 and the plate 5 being carried by theblade 3 and free from blade 2. A pin 6 by means of which the blades arepivotally mounted at their inner ends passes through the hinge platesand through openings 1 formed at front ends of the tapered portions 8which project forwardly midway the width of the upper and lower plates 9of a frame Ill.

The plates 9 of the frame lil are substantially crescent shaped withtheir concaved edges presented rearwardly and their arms or taperedportions 8 projecting forwardly and through ends or opposite sides ofthe plates are passed pins 1 I, there also being a vertically disposedpin I2. The pins ii carry loosely mounted sleeves ill from which extendforwardly projecting upper and lower arms or links M terminating invertical sleeves 5 at their outer ends. Sleeves It at' inner ends oflinks ll fit between the sleeves l5 where they are loosely mounted aboutpins l8 which pass through the sleeves as well as through ears at upperand lower ends of yokes l9 and pivotally connect the links IT with thelinks or arms [4 as well as pivotally mounting At their outer ends thelinks [1 formed with vertically disposed sleeves 2B which fit betweenears 2! projecting rearwardly from outer ends of the blades 2 and 3 andthrough which pins 22 are passed to pivotally connect the links with theblades. The yokes H are mounted at outer ends of piston rods 23projecting from outer ends of cylinders 2% which have their inner endspivoted upon the pin i2 and when the pistons are forced outwardly thecompanion links M and H will be swung about their pivot pins H and i8and spread apart so that ends of the two blades will be shiftedforwardly to a position in which they extend in alignment transverselyof the bulldozer and forwardly to such an extent that the bladesconverge to their pivotally mounted inner ends. Therefore the blades 2and 3 may form a blade I having rearwardly diverging sections 2 and 3,or a V-shaped blade having rearwardly converging sections, and also forma long blade extending straight across the bulldozer. If so desired onepiston rod may be shifted outwardly while the other moves inwardly orremains in a fully retracted position and a long straight blade I formedwhich extends diagonally in a direction transversely of the bulldozer.

In order to mount the frame in front of the tractor there have beenprovided blocks which are secured between the plates 9 by screws 26 andare formed with bores lined by sleeves or bushings 21. Pins 28 passthrough the sleeves and have their threaded front ends projecting fromthe sleeves and carrying nuts 29 which bear against washers 30 and aretightened to hold the pins in place through the sleeves but allow theblocks to turn about the pins and permit limited axial movement of thepins 28. Therefore the frame may be tilted transversely about the pinsand disposed either horizontally or at a transverse incline. The rearends of the pins 28 are enlarged to limit forward movement of the pinsthrough the sleeves and through these enlarged rear ends or heads of thepins are formed vertical bores 3| to receive pins 32 which passvertically through ears 33 projecting forwardly from lower portions ofvertically disposed guide sleeves 34. These sleeves enclose verticalcylinders 35 having piston rods 36 projecting from their upper endsterminating at their upper ends in eyes 31 through which pass pins 38carried by upper ends of the sleeves transversely thereof. Fluid isforced into and out of the upper and lower portions of the cylindersthrough tubes 39 and 43 and when the piston rods are shiftedlongitudinally the sleeves will be shifted vertically and the frame 10raised or lowered while in a horizontal position or one side of theframe raised and its other side lowered to tilt the frame transverselyto an inclined position and thus dispose the blade either horizontallyor at an incline causing it to follow the transverse slope of a roadfrom its crown towards its side edges. Stub shafts 4| project rearwardlyfrom the cylinders 35 and are secured to a cross bar 42 of such lengththat it extends across the front of the truck 43 and has its endportions secured to bars 44 which project rearwardly therefrom and aresecured to the chassis bars of the truck. Upper and lower triangularwebs 45 and 4B which extend rearwardly from the cylinders above andbelow their stub shafts longitudinally of the bars 44 brace thecylinders against tilting movement out of a vertical position and inorder that the sleeves 34 may be moved vertically without interferenceby the webs the sleeves are formed in their rear portions withvertically extending slots 41, portions of the slots being widened inorder to accommodate the stub shafts 4|, the slot being wide enough topermit sleeve 34 to rotate slightly on the cylinder 35. Since the washeris of the same diameter as the external diameter as the sleeve 21 it mayenter the bore of the block 25. Therefore, while the washer prevents thenut 29 from having binding engagement with confronting end of the block,it will allow the pin and the sleeve to have axial movement through theblock a distance corresponding to the thickness of the washer andbinding will be prevented. It will be understood that the fluid tubesextending from the cylinders 2| and 35 are of sumcient length to reach asource of supply carried by the truck and that suitable valves will beprovided within reach of the driver of the truck and thus allow thedriver to adjust the frame and the blades according to the needs of thework being done. When snow is being removed from a road a deflector 38,shown in Figure 5, is applied to one of the blades 2 or 3 and thus causesnow moving along the blade to be directed away from the outer end ofthe blade. It will be understood that a deflector may be applied to eachof the blades instead of only to one blade.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A bulldozer attachment for a vehicle comprising a cross bar havingmeans for mounting the same across the front of a vehicle transverselythereof, a frame in front of said cross bar, cylinders mountedvertically at the front of said cross bar with piston rods projectingfrom their upper ends, sleeves disposed vertically and fitting aboutsaid cylinders and having their upper ends connected with upper ends ofthe piston rods, pins projecting forwardly from said sleeves and pivotedfor transverse movement, said frame carrying sleeves extendinghorizontally in a longitudinal direction and fitting loosely about saidpins and mounting the frame for transverse tilting movement to angularlyadjusted positions, blades extending transversely of said frame at thefront thereof and having their inner ends pivoted to the frame forpivotal movement to angularly adjusted positions, links pivoted to endsof the cross bar and outer ends of said blades respectively and havingtheir inner ends pivotally connected with each other, and cylinderspivoted midway the width of said frame and extending towards oppositesides thereof and having piston rods projecting from their outer endsand each pivotally connected with the inner ends of a companion pair offront and rear links and when shifted longitudinally tilting the linksto swing the blades horizontally to angularly adjusted positions.

2. A bulldozer comprising a cross bar adapted to be mounted transverselyof a vehicle, a frame in front of said cross bar having upper and lowerplates spaced vertically from each other and having portions projectingforwardly midway the width of the frame, members connecting said framewith end portions of said cross bar and mounting the frame for tiltingmovement to angularly adjusted positions, blades in front of said framehaving inner ends meeting at the front ends of the forwardly projectingportions of the said plates, plates projecting rearwardly from innerends of said blades and pivoted to the said forwardly projectingportions of the upper and lower plates to mount the blades for pivotalmovement horizontally to angularly adjusted positions, cylinderspivotally mounted between the plates of said frame and extending towardsopposite sides of the frame and having piston rods projecting from theirouter ends, vertically disposed yokes at outer ends of the piston rods,and companion front and rear links pivoted respectively to outer ends ofthe blades and between ends of the upper and lower plates of the frameand extending towards each other with meeting ends of the companionlinks pivotally connected with the yokes whereby longitudinal movementof the piston rods serves to impart horizontal swinging movement to thelinks and move the blades to angularly adjusted positions.

3. A bulldozer comprising a frame of a width adapting it to extendacross a vehicle at the front thereof, said frame having upper and lowerplates spaced vertically from each other and having portions projectingforwardly midway the" width of the frame, blades in front of said frameextending transversely thereof and having inner ends pivoted to theforwardly projecting portions of the plates, cylinders between saidplates extending transversely of said frame and pivoted at their innerends midway the width of the frame in rearwardly spaced relation to theforwardly projecting portions of the plates, piston rods projecting fromouter ends of said cylinders and pivoted to inner ends of links havingouter ends pivotally connected with the blades and side portions of theframe and serving to swing the blades horizontally to angularly adjustedpositions when the piston rods are shifted longitudinally, a cross baradapted to be mounted across the front of the vehicle, and meansconnecting said frame with ends of said cross bar and mounting the framefor vertical shifting movement to adjusted positions and for verticaltilting movement to angularly adjusted positions transversely of thevehicle.

4. A bulldozer comprising a frame for extending transversely across thefront of a truck, said frame having upper and lower horizontal platesspaced vertically from each other, a. blade at the front of said frameextending transversely thereof, a cross bar of a length adapting it toextend across the front of the truck and being spaced rearwardly fromsaid frame, blocks mounted between end portions of said plates andformed with bores extending longitudinally of the vehicle, cylindersmounted vertically in front of said cross bar and having piston rodsprojecting upwardly from the cylinders and formed with eyes at theirupper ends, sleeves slidable vertically fitting about said cylinders andprojecting upwardly therefrom, pins passing transversely through upperend portions of said sleeves and through said eyes and therebyconnecting upper ends of the sleeves with upper ends of said pistonrods, and pins pivoted to said sleeves for horizontal pivotal movementtransversely of the frame and projecting forwardly from the cylindersand rotatably passing through the bores of said blocks to support theframe and pivotally mount opposite sides of the frame for verticaltilting transversely to angularly adjusted positions.

5. A bulldozer attachment for a vehicle comprising a cross bar adaptedto be mounted across the front of a vehicle, a frame in front of saidcross bar having upper and lower plates, cylinders mounted verticallyadjacent opposite ends of said cross bar with piston rods projectingupwardly from their upper ends, sleeves fitting about said cylinders andslidable vertically thereon and having upper ends projecting from thecylinders and connected with upper ends of the piston rods, pinsprojecting forwardly from said sleeves and pivoted to the sleeves fortransverse swinging movement, blocks mounted between the plates of saidframe and formed with bores through which said pins pass and mount theframe for vertical transverse tilting movement to angularly adjustedpositions when the sleeves are shifted vertically by the piston rods,blades extending transversely in front of said frame and having innerends pivoted to the frame for pivotal movement forwardly and rearwardly,and means carried by said frame and connected with said blades formoving the blades to angularly adjusted positions.

6. A bulldozer comprising a cross bar adapted to be mounted across thefront of a vehicle transversely thereof, a frame mounted in front ofsaid cross bar and having upper and lower horizontal plates spacedvertically from each other, blades in front of said frame extendingtransversely thereof and having inner ends meeting midway the width ofthe frame, members projecting rear= wardly from inner ends of saidblades and pivoted to the plates of the frame and mounting the bladesfor pivotal movement forwardly and rearwardly to angularly adjustedpositions, cylinders pivotally mounted between the plates of said frameand extending horizontally towards opposite sides of the frame andhaving piston rods projecting from their outer ends and having yokes attheir outer ends, pins carried by the yokes, and companion front andrear links pivoted at inner ends to said pins, said front linksextending forwardly from said yokes and having their outer ends pivotedto outer side of said blades, and the rear links having their outer endspivotally mounted between ends of the upper and lower plates of theframe and together with the companion front links serving to move theblades to angularly adjusted positions when the piston rods are movedlongitudinally.

7. A bulldozer including a frame, means for mounting said frame acrossthe front of a vehicle, blades in front of said frame extendingtransversely thereof and having inner ends meeting midway the width ofthe frame, plates carried by inner end portions of said blades andextending longitudinally and rearwardly thereof with portions projectingfrom inner ends of the blades longitudinally thereof, said plates beingoverlapped and pivoted to said frame and mounting the blades for pivotalmovement forwardly and rearwardly, the plate of each blade having itslongitudinally projecting portion overlapping the inner end portion ofthe other blade whereby the plates serve as abutments limiting pivotalmovement of the blades relative to each rear surface of the other, andactuating means carried by said frame and connected with said blades forimparting pivotal movement to the blades and holding the blades inangularly adjusted positions.

1 JOHN W. MERZ.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,460,440 Polk July 3, 1923 2,160,596 Le Bleu May 30, 19392,173,158 Corbett Sept. 19, 1939 2,218,512 Ball Oct. 22, 1940 2,219,159Flynn et al. Oct. 22, 1940 2,410,543 Kester Nov. 5, 1946 2,450,200 LockeSept. 28, 1948

